Debbi M. Johnstone
Partner
Norton Rose Fulbright US LLP
Related services and key industries
Biography
Debbi Johnstone joined the Houston office in 2008. As an accomplished lawyer, and partner, with over 30 years of experience, Debbi's practice focuses exclusively on the health care industry. She has worked on matters involving mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, corporate compliance, hospital-physician contracting and physician recruitment and employment.
Debbi has a special practice focus on compliance and reimbursement matters. She has significant experience advising clients on federal and state government program anti-kickback, physician self-referral (Stark Law), false claims, civil monetary penalty and related sanctions issues, as well as all aspects of coverage and payment under Medicare and Medicaid.
She was certified in Health Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in 2002.
Professional experience
Collapse allJD, cum laude, Indiana University School of Law
BA, Political Science, Northwestern University
- Texas State Bar
Transactional
- Represented, as lead counsel, a non-profit health care system in contributing two hospitals to newly formed joint venture with a non-profit health care system
- Represented, as lead counsel, a non-profit community hospital in its acquisition by a national non-profit hospital system
- Represented, as lead counsel, a hospital system in the lease and subsequent acquisition of a public hospital
- Represented, as lead counsel, the combination of a satellite facility of a non-profit hospital and two physician-owned ambulatory surgery centers into a new, separately licensed for-profit acute care hospital physician joint venture
- Represented, as lead counsel, infertility and orthopedic surgery practices in the acquisition by private-equity backed management services companies
- Represented, as lead counsel, non-profit health care systems in the acquisition of urgent care centers, including formation of a joint venture between a non-profit health system and a for-profit development firm to operate urgent care centers
- Represented, as lead counsel, non-profit health care systems in the development of pediatric inpatient hospital and home health joint ventures
- Represented, as co-counsel, a newly formed joint venture between a medical school and a non-profit hospital system to own and operate a hospital
- Represented hospitals in the formation and syndication of hospital-physician joint ventures for ambulatory surgery centers
Represented multiple hospital systems in the acquisition of physician practices and employment of physicians
Regulatory
- Represented hospital in defense and settlement of false claims case involving hospital employed physician compensation and allegations under the Stark and anti-kickback laws
- Represented hospitals in self-disclosure of potential Stark Law and anti-kickback law violations to CMS, HHS OIG, the Department of Justice, and the Texas Medicaid program
- Represented hospitals concerning Medicare and Medicaid audit and overpayment matters, including voluntary refunds to program intermediaries and carriers
- Represented numerous health care providers in structuring arrangements to comply with the Stark Law, federal and state anti-kickback laws, corporate practice of medicine restrictions and related health laws
- Chambers USA, Texas: Healthcare, Chambers and Partners, 2005 – 2024
- Chambers USA, Nationwide: Healthcare (Transactional), Chambers and Partners, 2011, 2013 – 2019
- Texas Super Lawyers, Healthcare, Thomson Reuters, 2003 – 2023
- Texas Super Lawyers, Top 50 Women, Thomson Reuters, 2008, 2010 – 2014
- Texas Super Lawyers, Top 100 Houston, Thomson Reuters, 2010, 2012 – 2014
- The Best Lawyers in America, Health Care Law, Best Lawyers, 1997 – 2025
- Lawyer of the Year, Houston: Healthcare Law, Best Lawyers, 2012
- National Diversity Council, Top 25 Women in Healthcare in Houston, 2019
- Outstanding Leader in Law, Women Who Mean Business, Houston Business Journal, 2019
- Texas Top Rated Lawyer, LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell, 2012 – 2018
- Legal 500 US, Recommended Lawyer, Healthcare: Life Sciences, The Legal 500, 2019 – 2023
- Legal 500 US, Recommended Lawyer, Healthcare: Advice to Service Providers, The Legal 500, 2019 – 2023
- Expert Guides, Best of the Best USA, Legal Media Group, 2020
- American Bar Association - Health Law Section
- Texas Bar Association - Health Law Section
- Houston Bar Association, Health Law Section Chair (2004 - 2005)
- American Health Lawyers Association
- University of Houston Law Center, Adjunct Professor
- Texas Board of Legal Specialization - Health Law Exam Commission (2006 - 2011)
- DePelchin Children's Center
- Board of Directors (1997 - present)
- Chairman of Board (2010 - 2011)
Insights
Healthcare industry focus on FTC’s near-total ban on non-competes
Webinar | June 11, 2024